In times of war
by WigglyWednesday
Summary: In July of 1976 a whole bunch of peculiar, equal parts amazing and horrendous, things had already come to pass. A few examples. Atticus Mulciber viciously attacked Mary MacDonald with an unforgivable curse, Sirius Black kissed both Marlene McKinnon and Remus Lupin and James Potter and Lily Evans decided to skive off school to go see David Bowie play in London.
1. Prolog

**Prolog**

In July of 1976, according to the Gregorian calendar commonly used, a whole bunch of peculiar, equal parts amazing and horrendous, things had already come to pass.

Even Dorcas Meadows mother had agreed miniskrits were an acceptable item of clothing (under the circumstance there were no boys present). Punk rock were a reality thanks to the likes of Sex Pistols and the Clash, something Sirius Black reveled in (and his parents most certainly did not). Peter Pettigrew had baked an excellent french chocolate tart for Remus Lupin's birthday party. No one had gotten to eat said chocolate tart since Gilbert Merrythought had gotten drunk on firewhiskey and fell into it head first. Jane Saint-Selwyn gifted Sirius Black a copy of Simone de Beauvoir's _Le Deuxième Sexe_ after learning he knew french; Sirius read it in a week and a half. Head boy Frank Logbottom had uncovered that not only the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Carmichael Macnair, but also the Herbology professor, Travis Abbott, were in fact recruiting Death Eaters. The revelation caused two weeks of canceled classes, this following their immediate dismissal, and a vast increase of student devilment (mainly lead by the Marauders). Sirius Black kissed both Marlene McKinnon and Remus Lupin (with in a week of each other).

Atticus Mulciber viciously attacked Mary MacDonald with an unforgivable curse. Urning him a one way ticket out of Hogwarts and into Azkaban, and putting Mary on strict bedrest until mid August. Sirius Black told Severus Snape a secret. A secret which caused James Potter a painful visit to the hospital wing, and the remaining Marauders to not speak to Sirius in a month. Lily Evans ended her friendship with Severus Snape. Emmeline Vance slept with the captains of both the Ravenclaw and Slytherin quidditch teams (she regretted the first but not the lather). James Potter broke three ribs and a finger, while playing the quidditch final against Ravenclaw, after being hit by a bludger from the Ravenclaw captain. Michel Foucault's_ History of Sexuality_ was published and promptly read by Marlene McKinnon, but how she gotten ahold of it remained a mystery. Dorcas Meadows had a brief pregnancy scare, resulting in an existential crisis and half a bottle cherry wine being past around the girls dormitory. A two day temporary truce was implemented in order for James Potter and Lily Evans to skive off school to go see David Bowie play in London, on the whole, a successful venture.

The last term of their fifth year ended, and they enjoyed two hours of freedom before the Hogwarts express was attacked by Death Eaters. Three students died. Fifteen were transported to St. Mungos for varying injuries, and among those Emmeline Vance, Gilbert Merrythought and James Potter. Lily Evans visited James Potter at St. Mungos (after first visiting Emmeline of course). Mary MacDonald persuaded her friends to smuggle her out for a party, and they managed to do so with help of the Marauders. Sirius Black moved in with, and was consequently adopted by, the Potters.

And, even though the it wasn't even half way through, the summer of 1976 was already considered to be the hottest in a hundred years.

**a/n: Et voilá**


	2. Summer Blues

**Episode 1; Summer Blues**

_Lilies for Lily_

It was early, just past eight a clock, on a Wednesday in mid July. Lily Evans sat, legs tucked up under her, elbows propped up in front of her and chin leaning against her hands, at her vanity. She peered at her reflection in the mirror, she had chopped off a large portion of her bright red hair the previous weekend and hadn't thus far come to terms with whether she liked it or not. It wasn't bad really. Her hair always curled and tousled and took ages to shampoo so it was, in the end, a matter of practicality. At least in part. But Lily was used to her hair cascading down her back, not being abruptly cut off by her collarbones. And, worst of all, she didn't know what to do with it. She had cut it of mainly as it seemed practical, also she figured it had been a fast way to get out of, and that part had actually worked, her sisters wedding, but now it was to short to braid properly.

Sighing she started to very quietly, Marlene was a sleep in the bed and Lily did not want to wake her up, rummage around the vanity drawer before finally locating a headband which would have to do. Placing it on her head she reached back into the drawer and subsequently emerged with two new items, a pink-ish lipgloss and a wand of mascara. Now, Lily Evens wasn't a vain person per se. However, it was human to need extra motivation at times. She tried jamming the drawer shut, it seemed futile at fist since the tree had suffered water-damage and expanded over the years, but it finally closed with a thud. Glancing over her shoulder, to see if the noise had disturbed Marlene in her sleep, Lily could only see the top of her light hair, while her own hair was close in colour to fire or blood oranges she considered Marlene's to be the colour of honey or wheat. She seemed to be fast asleep anyway so Lily turned back to the mirror to apply the mascara.

"What the bloody hell are you doing up?", Marlene's voice came, icy, from the bed Lily flinched and got mascara in her eyebrow.

Now, this wasn't surprising in it self, Marlene had a sharp tung and did not hesitate to use it. But she normally would hold back around three people: her nine year old sister Claire, Jane Saint-Selwyn and Lily Evans. Reluctantly and while muttering something about no fun goody-two-shoes, but nether the less, she would warm her voice by a degree or two. Having a sharp tung had helped her though. Marlene was slim and dainty, with blue eyes and blonde hair falling to her elbows, she did not look like she could throw a punch or disintegrate someone with a sentence or two. She could, however, do both. And scare Lily half to dath as it turned out.

"Shit. Marlene, would you not shout when I have pointy objects close to my eyes? How would you explain to Jane that you have blinded me? She'd be disappointed.", Lily glared at Marlene, now sitting up, in the vanity mirror. Marlene rolled her eyes and threw a pillow, a bit haphazardly, before leaning back against the headboard.

"Eh, Merlins penis, Jane is always disappointed in me. It wouldn't make that much of a difference really.", Marlene sighed, smoothing the duvet in front of her.

"Maybe because you are not too fond of euphuisms. Merlins penis is a bit harsh this early in the day, don't you think? You don't really leave room for a lot of evolving.", Lily said as she tried to get the mascara out of her eyebrow. Marlene threw another pillow, hitting the back of Lily's chair this time. "Ouch! That's just mean! I won't make you any breakfast, and you will have to deal with the scary muggle toaster all on your own."

"Suit your self, but I didn't think you'd want me to burn your house down. Don't your parents get back from Italy today?", jumping out of bed Marlene made her way to the wardrobe. She swung the doors up and started browsing Lily's summer wardrobe, every now and again pulling out a pice of fabric looking contemplative. Marlene had been living with her for about a week, since her parents had gone to Italy and Petunia had left for her soon-to-be-in-laws country house, but quickly abandoned her own clothing for Lily's more substantial range.

"Yes, they do, and it would be preferable of the house was still standing and I'd suppose it be cruel to let you eat burnt toast. I'll make some pancakes, but you can't have all of them with butter and sugar or you'll die from heart failure before you're thirty-five!", smacking her lips together Lily made sure she hadn't missed a spot.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll eat one with banana or something. Oh, what you got here!", smiling impishly Marlene yanked a pice of blue fabric out from the closet. It was an incredibly short, silky dressing-gown and on top of that periwinkle blue. Lily's mother, Barbara, had bought it at a sample sale and given it to Lily as a welcome home present. Why she'd thought to give her sixteen year old daughter something that practically could passed as lingerie was more than Lily could guess. "I'm so wearing this. Since the boys will come over and all, you know?"

Lily dropped the hairbrush she was holding.

"Marlene", she slowly bent down to pick up the brush. Marlene was changing out of the Queen t-shirt, also Lily's, she had been sleeping in and into the dressing-gown. "What boys?"

"Oh, eh, I kind of promised to help Euphemia, James mum you know, with one of my mum's recipes. So James said he'd come get me, since his parents has amped up security quite a bit with all the recent Death Eater activity, and I said that I living with you for a week but that he could come get me here. And I also maybe mentioned that you'd make breakfast and that he could bring Sirius. Altho he probably would have, permission or not.", downstairs the doorbell chimed. "I also said that they could come whenever they woke up."

"I loath you."

With a shrinking sensation in her stomach Lily examined her reflection briefly, she still wore her pyjamas, altho it was far less revealing than what Marlene twirled around in, a matching set in yellow, before heading downstairs with Marlene in tow. Lily really didn't want to deal with James Potter this early in the morning, not Sirius Black either for that matter, and she really, really, didn't want to deal with him dressed in flannel pyjamas. She was genuinely angry at Marlene. James Potter was a self-consumed spoiled rotten bullying twat of person, and a little bit of a tart at that. It was too early for this. But nonetheless Lily opened the door expecting to get trampled by a heard of hippogriffs, or something equally prone to trampling they had gotten their hands on.

And got a bouquet of lilies practically pushed up her nose. She flinched catching a glimpse of Sirius Black through the lilies.

"Black, get that out of my face!", Lily said swatting helplessly with her arms. He did take a step back, grinning.

"Come on Lils, you're no fun! I'm being a perfect gentlemen, bringing flowers and all."

"Sure, still doesn't mean I want to eat them."

"I bet they're healthy, you can use them in a salad. See my gift isn't only gentlemanly but practical as well."

"Actually, lilies are poisonous, they shut down your kidneys. Stop tying to kill off Evans, would you, it's starting to get annoying", James Potter grumbled and smacked Sirius on the back of the head before peering up at Lily. He had grown taller just since end of term, Lily was certain, and then she immediately chastised herself for noticing. It was stupid. "Hi, Evans! You cut your hair, I like it! McKinnon, you've been practicing for tryouts? You know I'm the captain now right?"

_Pancakes with honey_

James Potter sat in Lily Evans kitchen. It was both a place he'd dreamt of visiting many times, and a place he'd never thought he'd actually get to see for real. It wasn't a terribly large kitchen but homey and bright, with flowery wallpaper and windows overlooking the quiet street. He sat on the countertop next to the stove, watching Lily flip pancakes rather aggressively. The first thing that hit James when he saw her was the same as always. She was beautiful, Lily was so beautiful. He also knew she didn't want to hear that from him, so he wouldn't, it just stressed her out. Which was, he suspected, one of the reasons she flinched slightly every time he sighed or said something to Sirius. Padfoot had been stressing Lily out more than he did, asking about every muggle-apparatus in the kitchen and James was glad he'd taked muggle studies since third year, until Marlene practically got him to sit down at the kitchen table by sheer force. But Marlene was forceful.

Lily repeatedly tapped her fingers against the countertop, he remembered that she always was very irritable and jumpy during exam season, and put his hand over hers to make her stop. She hastily pulled it away, changing in which hand she was holding the frying pan and flipped a pancake. It seemed for good measure since it obviously wasn't done.

"Easy, Evans! It's pancakes not a O.W.L exam. We did those, remember?", he said jokingly. Lily glared at him and James suddenly felt out of breath. Merlin she was gorgeous.

"Sorry for not being overly cheerful at making you and Black breakfast, Potter.", Lily snapped angrily flipping another pancake.

"Marlene said we could come for breakfast!"

"Well, Marlene didn't tell me!"

"That isn't my fault! I only came as I was told", James sighed slightly exasperated. "Go bitch at Mar instead, would you, and stop being such a prat."

"I'm being a prat? You think I'm being a prat? Excuse me for being slightly stressed out over having my house invaded by Hogwarts biggest twats! Not to mention that I'm yet to have a cup of coffee, Emmeline will be over in an hour and she's still avoiding you after the quidditch debacle and I don't know when my parents will be back from Italy. So yes, I'm a bit stressed out. Would you bloody drop it.", she angrily flipped over the last pancake onto the platter and carried it over to the table. Where Marlene and Sirius animatedly discussed a wizarding band called the Snitches.

"I'm glad you consider me Hogwarts biggest twat, it's an honor.", James smirked. "Do you want some coffee?"

"It's a muggle kitchen James, I'll make it.", she sounded tiered but James flinched. She'd called him James, James, not Potter. He felt his chest swell as he considered her scooping ground coffee into a french press, her shoulder length hair seemed to move like fire in the light from the kitchen window and she had a speck of flour on her cheek.

"It's a cute pyjamas.", James regretted it as soon as he'd said it. Lily threw a wooden spoon in his direction without looking.

"Shut it, Potter, or you can leave right now.", her voice had a threatening tinge. Maybe he would have said something else, and actually gotten kicked out, but Sirius cut him off.

"Prongs, did you see the Profet?", Sirius sat with his ankles propped up on the table, feet dangling off the side, with the paper in front of his face. "'Three aurors dead in Death Eater attack', God it's getting worse. Do you reckon your dad will tell us who they were?"

"Probably", James sighed. "But probably he wont need to, they'll release the names by too night. People are frightened, and when people are frightened they'll floo the DMLE until they get answers. And the DMLE as better things to do than stand by their fireplaces calming panicking witches and wizards."

"You're dad's still in the DMLE?", Marlene asked cautiously. "I thought he retired after… Well, a few years back?"

"Yeah," he swallowed. "They sort of called him back in, with the increased Death Eater activity and all. He doesn't mind though. If they hadn't asked him he'd probably volunteered anyway."

Sirius shifted slightly, glancing at him worriedly. His dads condition wasn't something James thought about if he could avoid it. He felt his eyes burning and blinked rapidly, wishing for a distraction.

"Padfoot, bum me a cig would you." James could hear the slight crack in his voice but did his best to ignore it. Sirius handed him a cigarette and he made his way to the kitchen door before realizing he couldn't use his wand for light in a muggle household. A light tap on his shoulder. It was Lily, handing him a green lighter. "Uhm, Thanks."

"I'll want it back.", she said curtly before returning to the cupboard she'd been rummaging through. He couldn't help but watch her half a minut, fiery hair, yellow flannel pyjamas and a patch of freckled skin where her shirt had risen up, before heading outside.

He'd smoked half the cigarette, leaning against the Evanses white wall, when someone stepped out and stood beside him. A brief moment he hoped it was Lily. It turned out to be Marlene.

"I didn't know you smoked.", she said after a moment.

"I don't. Not really, not like Sirius does."

"Nobody smokes like Sirius, I'd be surprised if has any lungs left."

"Fair point."

"Ey, James, I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have brought it up. I was just kind of surprised when you mentioned he was working.", Marlene scuffed her feet and watched the large willow in the Evanses backyard sway in the wind. James had known Marlene since he was five, she'd always hated apologies. Especially when they were implied, and Marlene knew that James knew that she didn't mean anything hurtful by it. She just had a though jargon.

"It's fine, I know. You really didn't have to apologize.", he said as he put out the cigarette.

"I did if wanted any pancakes. Lily said I had to or I wouldn't get any.", Marlene snorted angrily.

"Evans sent you? I didn't know she knew about…", he trailed off. "Erm, well, my dad."

"She doesn't.", Marlene rolled her eyes. "Not really at least, she's just an annoyingly good person at times. And don't read anything in to that would you. She'd do the same for anyone, it doesn't mean she wants to have your babies."

"Eh yeah, sure", James trailed off, the warm feeling in his chest back.

"Let's go back inside. I'm starving.", Marlene pushed the door open and jittered inside, a smell of coffee, syrup and honey escaped from the flowery kitchen and James remained at the threshold for a moment, trying to shake all thoughts of his father. Some curses didn't heal. It was as simple as that. With a sigh he picket up the cigarette but he'd stepped on, he did not want to litter in Lily Evans garden, and followed Marlene.

Lily and Sirius sat across from each other and looked to be on their second or third pancakes, James couldn't help but notice the empty coffee cup in front of Lily. He smirked. Maybe she wouldn't bite his head of immediately. Marlene had already sat down next to Sirius so he took the place next to Lily and carefully, so she didn't notice, positioning the chair so it was slightly turned towards her.

"Here", he handed her back the lighter. She shook her head and pushed the stack of pancakes towards him instead.

"Keep it. It's my mums and she's tying to stop, better it comes to use. What do you want on your pancake?", for once Lily's voice wasn't sharp. James didn't like it. Not the fact that she spoke to him in a normal conversational tone, he'd prefer it if she that more often to be honest, but he didn't want her to do it out of pity. He rolled his and pocketed the lighter

"I wont break Evans, no need for pleasantries.", he grinned teasingly. "But since you offer so nicely you can pass me the honey"

"Git. And who has honey on pancakes? That's disgusting! I only took it out because Marlene wanted some in her tea.", Lily snapped. But she did pass him the honey and some blueberries.

"Have you ever tried? It's delicious!"

"I haven't, because it's disgusting. Honey doesn't belong on pancakes."

"But oh, honey, they do!"

"If you're trying to be infuriating it's working.", Lily declared, still eyeing the honey suspiciously. "Because by that logic you're calling me a condiment for pancakes. And I don't consider that a compliment."

"Oi, Prongs! I'm offended, I thought I was the only condiment for your pancakes.", Sirius said grinning widely.

"Sorry mate", James laughed. "You've been replaced."

"What kind of homoerotical romance novel have we stepped into?", Marlene smirked rolling her eyes at Lily, whom shrugged.

"I'm happy as long as I'm not compared to things belonging on pancakes.", Lily shrugged. "And I've been anticipating their wedding invitations since fourth year."

James was just about to reply something bitingly sharp witted when the kitchen door flung opened revealing a middle aged couple. A tall woman with long auburn hair and a slightly shorter man with dark hair and a massive beard.

"Mum! Dad!", Lily shot up. "I thought you'd be back much later."

"We can see that", the man, Mr. Evans James realized, said. "Is there any pancakes left for us?"

_G'night_

They disbursed quite quickly after that. Lily did introduce James and Sirius to her parents, they already knew Marlene, causing her dad to say something about "so _this_ is the famous James Potter" causing James to practically grow wings and Lily too wish she could sink trough the floor. She, however, did not. But she did, rather slyly, mention that wasn't they in a bit of a hurry? In an attempt to prevent her parents to invite them for lunch. And while that succeeded they were, nether-the-less, invited for dinner the following Saturday, along with which other friends Lily wanted of course, causing the James, Sirius and Marlene to beam expectantly and Lily to contemplate demanding legal emancipation from her parent. But she at least got them out of the house.

Marlene sent her an owl later apologizing for thinking it was funny, but withholding that it was in fact funny, and that Lily probably should invite the other Marauders since they could keep track on James and Sirius. Lily had to admit that Marlene might have a point and had sent an owl each to Remus and Peter the following day. It turned out that Peter visited family in Irland and couldn't make it, but he did send some Irish chocolate cauldrons. Remus on other hand could, and would come with James and Sirius. Instinctively Lily was relived she didn't see Snape anymore, tying to explain to him that most of the Marauders would come to her house for a dinner party would probably end their friendship if it wasn't already over.

After that particularly gloomy thought Lily proceeded to invite the remaining Gryffindor sixth years. She got owls back from Gilbert Merrythought and Mary MacDonald saying they couldn't come, Gilbert because he was in France and Mary because her mother refused to let her out of the house since she found out Mary had sneaked out a few weeks previously. The others, Emmeline Vance, Dorcas Meadows and Jane Saint-Selwyn, all wrote back saying they'd come.

When the dinner rolled around it turned out not to be all that bad. Barbara and Harold Evans had prepared the dining room, who otherwise only came to use around Christmas and on birthdays, and served a large assortment of dishes. Her father had even, with Lily's help, gotten ahold of some butterbeer and was almost giddy about it. Over all it was a success. Jane had been the first to arrive and had, upon entering, immediately clapt her hands together and asked Lily's mother:

"So what should I help with?", accompanied by large smile. Needles to say Barbara adored Jane. The Marauders had keep their cool, mostly. Lily and James had only screamed at each other once, over the dessert, and it had been fairly quickly resolved. Dorcas, Remus and Emmeline had entertained her mother with anecdotes about growing up in magical families. James and Marlene discussed quidditch, sometimes stopping to explain something for her father whom where listening intently. Jane, Sirius and Lily herself discussed Simone the Beauvoirs view on essentialist feminism, causing Lily to decide that Sirius Black maybe wasn't so bad after all.

Lily stood in the door waving them off when they left. She leaned her head against the doorframe watching them leave, she closed her eyes and breathed in the warm summer air.

"Evans?", her eyes flew up. James Potter had turned back and stood on the driveway a few meters away. "You sleeping?"

"Not yet, did you want anything?", she said shifting slightly.

"Just", he hesitated. Please don't aske me out, Lily thought. "Just, thanks. For the dinner, and the lighter."

Her stomach dropped. He didn't ask her out, it was odd. James always asked her out. She shifted again, squinting at him, but he made no further inclination that he wanted to add something.

"Oh, well, no problem really. I think my parents ar just glad they get to entertain, they used to throw a lot of parties but it's kind of hard to keep up facades when they have to pretend their daughter is of at like finishing school and not magic school.", she finished a bit breathlessly. James nodded.

"I'd imagine…" he started but cut off mid sentence and furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait. Their cover story that you go to finish school? How did they manage to pass that of? As far as I'm aware the typ of girls that attend finishing school doesn't skive of to go see David Bowie!"

James wheezed with repressed laughter and Lily glared at him.

"Shut it, Potter."

"Hey, I don't mean it as a bad thing.", he excused, still choking lon laughter. "I much prefer sneaking ot to concerts over afternoon tea. I'm just surprised, that's all"

"They've said it since I was eleven, they can't just suddenly change the story."

"I suppose they can't. But don't your relatives get suspicious when you don't start acting more like a lady?"

"The probably think I'm a lost cause and that all refining in the world couldn't change that", she smirked briefly. James stood closer to her now, smiling. Maybe he would ask har out anyway. Uff, she didn't want to deal with turning him down now they had a decently civil conversation. She could feel him watching her so she looked out onto the night sky instead, trying to prepare herself to turning him down.

"I think that might be the case. G'nigh Lily.", was all he said before turning around and making his way down the driveway. Lily felt cold and bearly remembered to call a haphazard: "G'night Jam… Eh, Potter!" after him.

He really hadn't asked her out. She had an anxious twinge in her chest as she turned around and closed the door after her.

**a/n: and theat chapter one done!**


	3. Stargazing

**Episode 2; Stargazing**

_Mary's escape_

Mary had been sitting or lying in bed since early may, with a two exceptions: when her friends and the Marauders smuggled her out for an end of the school year celebration and when she had to attend her muggle cousin Judith's christening, and she couldn't stand it for another moment. She especially couldn't stand it since Lily had been sitting in the green armchair beside Mary's bed painting her nails and chattering on about it being odd that James Potter hadn't asket her out once since end of term for an entire hour. Now Mary didn't blame Lily per say, the poor girl would probably figure out she actually liked James Potter when the bloke gotten married to someone else, but it was incredibly annoying and all she really wanted to do was to steal the keys to her fathers car and scram of to the beach. She had one final week of bedrest before her mother would let her out of the house. But the heat was really getting to her.

"Yeah, Lils, it's weird he hasn't asked you out. Maybe he's grown up, maybe he's moved on. Do you really care? I thought you couldn't wait for him to get over you?", Mary said lazily rolling her eyes and flipping a page of _Witch Weekly_. "And where did Dorcas and Jane go off to? They were just supposed to get som sorbet from the freezer, and Jane knows how does work."

"Well, yeah, I suppose you're right. It's a bit odd it's all.", Lily ventured, biting her lip and closing the nail varnish cap. "Do you want me do check so they didn't lock themselves in the cellar?"

"Would you? Thanks!", Mary said and smiled after her as she left the room. Merlins pants. She loved Lily, but she didn't understand how the girl with highest grades in their year could be so impossibly daft when it came to a boy.

As soon as she heard Lily's footsteps disappearing down the stairs Mary threw her legs over the bedside and headed to the study. The study was half Mary's mothers, with bookshelf filled with books on psychology, and half her fathers, with a drawing table and tons of sketchbooks. And, in a small wooden bowl, Mary's fathers car keys. Not the normal car keys to the family everyday car, but the ones to his blue vintage Chevrolet. Mary sometimes thought her father loved it more than her. On a more chipper note, he had thought her to drive it and she didn't hesitate to grab the key from the bowl and go back to her room to back a beach bag. She finished just as Lily returned with Jane and Dorcas in tow, Jane holding a pack of raspberry sorbet and Dorcas four spoons. All three of them regarding Mary with raised eyebrows.

"I'm going to the beach.", she declared. "You're all welcome to join me. I refuse to be stuck in this house for one more second hearing Lily go on and on about Potter. No offense but, love, you're beginning to sound slightly obsessive. I've got the keys to the car, gather your things and meet me outside the garage, I'm going to get us some snack. And Jane, dear, you can but the sorbet back, it'll just melt if we brig it along."

Not letting them answer Mary swept past with a brief smile and headed downstairs, she did hear Lily ask Dorcas if she really had been that bad and Dorcas answer: "Why did you think we stayed in the basement for so long?"

A while later they were all sitting in the car, Mary driving and Lily, who was the best at reading maps, in the passenger seat, listening to an old Frank Sinatra concert on the radio and eating the strawberries Mary found in the fridge.

"You know your mother will lock you up for the rest of the summer right? And she probably wont let us come visit. Not after we let you, I don't know, steal a car!", Dorcas exclaimed from the backseat.

"I didn't steal it!", Mary protested. "Just borrowed it, although without asking."

"I'm pretty sure that's called sealing.", Lily condemned briskly, still a bit testy after the James Potter debacle.

"Well, I don't agree!", Mary said as she took a left turn and smiled, she could see the ocean. "It's not as I won't give it back."

"Okey, the stealing or not stealing aside…", Jane interjected. "You're not really allowed to drive in the muggle world. What are we going to do if the police, that's like muggle aurors Dorcas, stops us?"

That was something that hadn't crossed Mary's mind.

"I don't really think that's likely.", she begun, still watching the sea getting closer and closer. "But then I suppose I'd take the fall, I'm driving and it's my dads car."

"Oh, don't be silly!", Lily said, turning the map around. "We wont let you take the fall for all of us. And take the next left by the way."

"Considering I'm the only one that can drive I expect I'll have to take the fall, wether I'd like to or not.", she turned left in on to a gravel road making its ways through a cluster of bright green threes. A bit farther ahed a gravel plane made up a parking lot and from that a path made its way towards the beach. On it stood one other car, white and a bit run down, and a large black motorcycle with a sidecar. Mary parked next to the motorcycle, and hesitated briefly. She was just about to say something when Dorcas cut her off.

"Isn't that the motorcycle Sirius got from James parents?", she asked, looking over Mary's shoulder.

"Do you really think that's likely?", Jane said doubtfully and stepped out of the car.

"I think it's very likely.", Lily said shutting the car door behind her. "Since I sent an owl saying we'd be here. And I didn't send it to Potter before you ask! I sent it to Sirius, he borrowed one of my books at the dinner thing and when he wrote wondering if he could hand it back today I thought I'd be at Mary's. So he wouldn't go there now, and risk your mums wrath, I sent him a note with your owl."

This last part she added looking at Mary.

"Well, you could have told us you invited them.", Jane said softly but with arms crossed sternly over her chest. Mary thought she'd never actually seen Jane angry, but her sweet lullig tone accompanied by her sharp hazel gaze was almost more terrifying in Mary's opinion. "And we'd brought more sandwiches."

"I didn't really!", Lily protested, rather half heartedly. "I just said he could come leave the book. Not that he should bring Potter and a six pack butterbeer. And, in case they stay, I think they'll survive without sandwiches."

"Lily", Jane said even more sweetly than before. "We don't actually know that he brought James. I admit it's not that much of a stretch that he did, especially since you're involved, but please don't get too disappointed if he isn't here."

"I… I mean… It wouldn't be a disappointment!", Lily stammered, blushing slightly. Dorcas reached into the backseat and hoisted up the last beach bag on her shoulder before tying her chestnut hair pack in a knot. Mary locked the car and double-checked the doors, she didn't plan on getting her fathers most priced possession stolen for real, before turning to the still blushing Lily.

"Time to find out then!", Mary said with a smile and crooked arms with her.

The path was well-kept but slim and Mary decided quickly that following in Lily's tracks would be more efficient than try to walk beside her. The air was almost trembling with residue heat from the day, even if the sun soon would begin to set. Mary had always liked beaches, they reminded her of childhood and innocence. They had been to Italy quite a bit before she started Hogwarts. She remembered her mother laughing and chasing her along the shoreline. She remembered her father throwing her up in the air but always catching her before she fell into the harsh waves. She was still so little then. So very little, and still unsuspecting of how cruel the world could be.

They turned around a nook in the path and stood suddenly on the beach. A small family, a mum, a dad and a small child, sat on a picnic blanket a bit further down the beach, but infront of them sat James Potter and Sirius Black on green towels and played with a deck of muggle cards. They only wore trunks, and had obviously bathed since their hair still dripped down their backs, and grinned widely when they saw Mary and the others walking down on the beach. Sirius waved excitedly, he'd accessorized his swimming trunks with black nail varnish.

"Oi! I thought you'd never get here!", he said grinning. "Poor James was starting to get a bit antsy."

_Freckles_

When he woke up that morning James did not think his day would end with him sitting in between Mary MacDonald and Lily Evans, eating Jane Saint-Selwyn's famous chicken-salad sandwiches. And he really didn't think he'd get to see Lily Evans in a bikini. It was light green and not all that revealing but instead rather sporty, James liked it. However, considering Lily wore it, he'd probably liked it even if it had been bright orange or light brown. It wasn't only that it was hot, but God it was, James liked the way he could see freckles on her shoulders and how her arms constantly moved when she tried to explain a concept. He thanked all the gods above he got to look at her. Especially Jane Austen. Because if it wasn't for that book, _Emma_, that Sirius were supposed to hand back to Lily he'd probably be at dinner at Bathilda Bagshot's with his parents by know. James was certain she'd look far less attractive in a bikini than his current company. Even Sirius could probably pull of thongs better than her. Altho James winced at the thought, and quickly looking back at Lily to get the image of Sirius in a silvery bikini out of his mind as fast as possible.

She was explaining how the idea of blood purity in its own way was edged into muggle society as well, sometimes throwing around terms James recognized like the holocaust and apartheid, to Sirius and Dorcas, altho Jane and Mary would sometimes contribute a question or clarification, both of them looking as their heart broke just a little bit with every word Lily uttered. He listened for a moment, with closed eyes, as he swallowed the last of his chicken-salad sandwich.

"I can't believe they haven't made muggle studies mandatory yet.", he interjected when Lily silenced. "And that the muggle studies we have focuses so little on the historical politics of the muggle world, especially since it's directly applicable on the situation we have regarding increased beliefs in pureblood supremacy and… Well… Voldemort."

He finished rather weakly, looking around at the others. Sirius and Dorcas looked grim, Jane heartbroken, he couldn't see Mary but felt her shiver beside him. Lily stared at him. She looked completely dumbfounded.

"I…Er… I agree with you.", she got out after a moment or two. James couldn't help but smirking.

"You do know I got an O in muggle studies on the O. , right Evans?", he chastised mildly and reached for a bottle of muggle beer he and Sirius had bought on their way from Godric's Hollow. "What d'you think I did? Slept with professor Schwass? He is _really_ not my type."

"Oh, why not, I think you'd make a lovely couple!", laughed Mary. Lily still seemed to be in chock, just staring at him, mouth hanging open ever so slightly. He could do nothing but stare back for a second before turning to Mary.

"He is older than Dumbledore for once", James started counting on his fingers. "Secondly, he's a bloke and that's not really my thing. And thirdly…", he hesitated for a heartbeat before smirking, "no red hair in sight I'm afraid."

"Prongs my friend, you're rather picky arn't you?", Sirius grinned. "Well, I'll take old Schwass for exactly the same reasons. One: he's older than Dumbledore! I'll to quote one of dear Lily's favourite muggles, the Shakes-whatever-bloke…"

"Shakespeare"

"Yes, thanks Lils, Shakespeare. He'll come to a sticky end, and that sooner rather than lather, so if I'm lucky I get a neat inheritance. Two: he's a bloke, and I can't claim that I mind.", still smirking Sirius finally turned to Lily. "And three: I can't say that the lack of red hair makes my knees grow weak Red hair can be absolutely lovely, the proof's sitting in front of me, but at least I won't have to worry that Prongs will try to pry Schwass away from me, how ever straight he may be, when Lily gives him the basket. Et voilà. That's all the reasons Prongs wouldn't date Schwass as the reasons I would."

They all laughed at that and the tension from all talk of pureblood supremacy seemed to trickle out in the sand. James passed around more beers and Jane had somehow managed to produce a dish with lemon-meringue tart from a basket. Everyone seemed to be content with life. If only for a little while.

"Oh look at the stars!", Dorcas exclaimed suddenly and laid down on her back, her plate with a pice of lemon-meringue tart propped on her stomach. "They're so bright! And I think the moon is full."

James threw Sirius a glance at that, furring his eyebrows, but Sirius only shook his head ever so slightly and mouthed: "it's tomorrow". Fuck it, James really hated full moons during the summer. Knowing Remus had to deal with them on his own. The girls had started to lay down and Sirius followed suit. James made an attempt to lay down as well but someone grabbed his shoulder. Correction. Lily grabbed his shoulder. She leaned a bit closer and his heart was racing.

"It's tomorrow", she breathed, scarcely audible. James was confused, and she must have noticed his expression because she sighed. "The full moon is not tonight. It's tomorrow. You don't need to worry about Remus."

So that's what she meant. He'd been so lost in her scent and the feeling of her hair trickling against his shoulder that he didn't even consider that odd at first.

"I'll always worry about Remus…", he cut him self off and leaned back as to see her probably. She looked dead serious, maybe a bit anxious at his sudden reaction. "How d'you know that? About Moony… ehh, Remus?"

"Oh, that, eh no offense to Remus but it wasn't that hard to figure out.", Lily had a said with a slight, sad, smile. She threw a glance in the direction of the others but they debated constellations and James were fairly certain they wouldn't hear them, so he motioned at her to go on. "I always have prefect patrols with him, which is whats made me certain, and always covered for him on full moons. Quite frankly I've suspected it since third year, and that without sharing a room with him. And your nicknames are ridiculously obvious, I mean come on, Moony?"

James held back laughter at that, and he could have sworn Lily's eyes also shone with repressed giddiness. He didn't mention it.

"Also", Lily begun again but stoped mid sentence and looked down at her hands, she was fiddling with a single blade of grass.

"Also what", James prompted, his voice low.

"Also, Sev… Eh, Snape told me about what happened last year. Well, not exactly, he tried to tell me but I pretended I didn't understood and told him to not spread lies about kind people like Remus. I did however figure it out for myself. Last spring you didn't speak with Sirius for a month, and neither did Remus or Peter, so I assume he was the one to tell Snape. I also assume that you were the one to save Snape considering he was still muttering about you being in the hospital wing when he tried to tell me."

"That's", James choked on his words, he wanted to say that it was remarkable, that she had an incredible mind and that she was so, so, beautiful with that thoughtful expression on her face. "Very well thought through."

"James", she started, rolling her eyes. "I don't need you to tell me I'm right. I know that I am, or at least pretty damn close, and I don't really care. I know that you'd do anything to keep Remus safe. You are a lot of things Potter, you're a conceited prat with an inflated ego if I'm being perfectly honest. You just happened to be a conceited prat with an inflated ego that also happen to be a fucking amazing friend."

Not sure what to answer James just watched her for a moment. She regarded him calmly back. It was like someone kicked James in the stomach when he realized, she might think that he was an amazing friend to have but he was no Lily Evans. Lily were amazing at friendships. And if James wanted hers, and, truthfully, he did, he might have to let go of his love for her. Or at least push it deep, deep, down. Merlins bollocks. James didn't want to, however, and it was this that got him, it wasn't fair to her, but he would. So he held Lily's gaze another moment, a final moment, before he smirked at her and walked over to sit beside Sirius instead. It seemed safer.

_You need to get laid_

Lily had been sitting still for a while after talking to James. Something about it had unnerved her and she felt a bit like her spine was vibrating. Maybe she was just relieved he knew that she new about Remus, because that meant that soon enough Remus himself would know and Lily wouldn't have to feel like she lied to him by omission. She'd tried to bring it up with him once but he'd looked so terrified she couldn't bring her self to tell him that she knew he was a werewolf and promptly proceeded to tell him that she knew he had eaten from her secret chocolate stash. Which it did turn out he had, but he was so relived about her not knowing any darker secrets that he'd replaced all of her lost chocolate, and Lily made a deal that they would share it as a double secret chocolate stash.

She shivered again. It had started to get rather cool. The little family was long gone and soon had also Lily's friends begun to pack up their things.

"You'll miss the ride home if you don't come now Lils!", Mary called, hands on her hips. The rest of the gang were already making their way to the path, laughing and pushing and, in the case of Dorcas, complaining they hadn't brought more alcohol, and Mary joined them with a few quick strides.

Considering Mary could be pretty forceful at times, and probably would leave her if she didn't hurry, Lily ventured that it probably was safer to follow suit. Thus she got up and brushed the sand off her legs, before she begun to look for the dress she'd worn when she got to the beach. She didn't find it.

"Damn it!", Lily swore considering the probability that Jane had been a bit overly practical and packed into one of the bags. Another day this might not have felt like such a defeat; Lily, however, started to feel really tired and possibly she was starting to get sick. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off anyhow.

"Looking for this?", Sirius Black stood a few meters away, smirking and holding out a pice of light yellow pieces towards her. The dress. "It's lovely by the way, I'd steel it from you but I don't have the legs to pull it off.", he continued, talking while crumpling up the dress to the size of a bludger and throwing it to her. Lily caught it and dragged it hastily over her head. Altho, she had to admit Sirius had a point, it was a lovely dress it also happened to bloody uncomfortable. Under normal circumstances Lily would reserve it for third dates or weddings. She'd never wear it to the beach, not if she was in her right mind. But that was an uncomfortable thought and she decided not to dwell on it.

"Thanks, and it might be cute but its so uncomfortable! And don't be modest, Black! You'd pull off anything that'd McGonagall a heart attack.", she mused as they started to make their way up the pathway.

"True that.", he said and hesitated before continuing. "Lils, I love you and all… In that 'somewhat-enemies-for-our-entire-academic-careers-but-semi-recently-got-over-it' sort of way… But I think you need to get a boyfriend. Possibly yesterday."

Lily stopped in her tracks. She couldn't help but stare at him, bewildered. And Sirius Back, who never looked serious for more than five minuts, regarded her earnestly with furrowed eyebrows and his long dark hair bowing in the ocean breeze.

"I need to… Do what now?", she asked, still not sure she'd heard him properly.

"You need to get laid. Not because I'm actually terribly concerned for your sex life, I'm sure you do good, but for Jameses sake. Give the poor chap a chance to get over you, and letting go for real. Cause right now he's only pretending, and I can't stand to see my best mate hurt like that you know? And I know it's not fair of me to tell you to do something about it, but James continuously sabotages all his potential relationships because he knows you're not seeing anyone. So I thought, here's a crazy thought, if you got a boyfriend maybe James could let go of the idea of a relationship with you.", Sirius continued. "It really solves everyones problems. James'll stop bothering you, move on with his life and find some nice bird to make babies with. And you'll get a boyfriend, or girlfriend I if anyone shouldn't discriminate, to have babies of your own with."

"I… I suppose I see your point.", Lily hesitated for a brief moment, considering what she wanted to say. "I hadn't realize he'd decided to get over… Well, me. No, that's not right, it's more that I never really thought he had to get over me! I assumed he only asked me out to annoy me."

"Lily, love, you might be one of Hogwarts brightest students, along with me and James and that little friend of yours who's basically a teenage grandmother…"

"Jane."

"Yes, Jane.", Sirius said, pausing briefly. "But sometimes you're completely and utterly daft. No, James did never only ask you out to annoy you. He did it because he genuinely likes you, love you even, albeit he was crappy at showing it."

It felt like Lily had swallowed something cold.

"Unless, you actually do like him that is.", Sirius added, almost smugly.

"I'dont!"

"Good. Then go get yourself a nice chap in time for the school year."

"You do realize that's in two weeks?"

"You're not bad looking, Evans. I'm sure you'll find someone."

"Because I'm a nice pice of ass?"

"Among your many other fine qualities, yes.", Sirius quipped brightly.

Lily hesitated briefly before asking: "Do you really think I hurt him all those times I turned him down?"

"I hate to tell you… But, you kinda did.", he admitted, a tad more somberly than earlier. "He would really break down over it at times, trying to dissect what he did wrong. Why you didn't like him. After the Snape-thing… Well, he did blame himself for that not working, but he also realize that he needed to get over you."

Before Lily could answer Mary called angrily from the car that she better get there within a minute or she would drive away without her. She turned to Sirius but he waved her off and she ran to the car, almost colliding with James who stood leaning against the door. Before she could say anything he moved out of the way, opening the door for her in the process. Lily managed to croak out a "thanks" before the door swung shut behind her.

Fuck. She needed some perspective.

**a/n: and that's chapter two! yay! review please!**


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